Frozen in Fear
by thelittlebear95
Summary: Its the middle of winter, half a body is found in Central Park. The introduction of a new serial killer; how is he and the victim connected? Castle and Beckett are lead to the middle of a forest to find out what happened. Will they revel secrets of their own? Set somewhere in season 4. Crime, Romance and some Angst.
1. Winter

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Castle or the characters.

**Author's Note:** This is my first story so far. I have already finished chapter 2 but I may take a while to upload more because I'm a slow writer. I do apprectiate any positive critisism so please feel free to tell me what you think. This story is set in winter because I began writing it in the middle of June which, in the southern hemisphere where I live, it is winter which is what inspired me. If anyone's ever read Castle's book, Heat Wave, think of the weather like that but the opposite. So now, without further adieu, here is the first chapter.

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><p>The first icy winds blew through the curtains and sent a chill over her body. Kate turned over onto her side and hugged the blankets closer to her chest. She squeezed her eyes shut tighter trying to force the sleep to consume her, but alas, she was no closer to it then the weather was to turning into summer overnight. By the time she had made the decision to get up and close the window, she could no longer feel her toes when she walked across the polished floorboards. Kate slipped herself back under the covers but the closed window had made little difference. She thought for a moment; should she call Castle and persuade him to talk her to sleep? Would he even be awake at this late hour of the night? The only way to know was to ring him and find out for herself.<p>

One ring… Two rings. He answered on the third.

"Castle" he answered rather groggily.

"Hey, it's me…" she started, regretful that she'd woken him.

His tone immediately changed. "Hey, what's the matter?" he sounded rather concerned.

"Nothing" she reassured him "I just couldn't sleep"

"It is pretty cold tonight" he agreed.

"Yeah it is, but how'd you know what I was calling about?"

"I could hear it in your voice, you're shivering. You couldn't sleep could you? Neither could I"

Kate smiled. She knew that he listened to her voice so closely, that he could tell when something was bothering her.

"I just wanted…"

"Don't worry, I'll be right over"

"No, Castle you don't…"

"Look it's alright. Maybe we'll get some rest if I come over and we talk ourselves to sleep"

Kate smiled. He was persistent. "Thanks, Castle"

"So I'll see you in 10 minutes?"

"I'll be seeing you soon" They hung up at the same time.

The knocking startled her for a moment, but then she realized it must be him. Kate opened the door to see a rather pale looking Castle standing at the door wearing his warmest pajamas, with his arms tightly folded.

"Castle, come in. You look like you're half frozen"

"I feel like I am" he chuckled.

They both moved swiftly across the floor and over to Beckett's couch where she had a large blanket and a small portable heater both on the floor.

"I'm sorry but it's a bit run-down" she said has he warmed his toes "that's why I have the blanket"

Castle smiled when she sat down beside him, and he wrapped the blanket over both of their shoulders and she thanked him.

"So, now that you're here, what do we do?" Kate brushed her hair from her face and looked at him.

Castle took a breath as if to say something then stopped. "I don't actually know. Movie? Hot chocolate?" he suggested. "What do you normally do when the temperature drops to freezing and you can't sleep?"

"I read" she said bluntly, but a smile creped onto her lips. Castle didn't have to ask to know which books she read. The look on her face said it all.

"Well, I'm flattered that my books have helped" he smiled back "But, strangely you're the only person I know who reads about murder when they're trying to sleep. Do you read children's books when you're hungry?" Classic Castle, always making jokes.

Beckett playfully slapped his arm. "Only when I feel like the big bad wolf"

"Hey that means I'd be Little Red Riding Hood!" Castle objected. "You know reds not really my colour"

"Your pajamas might say otherwise" she pointed out, holding back another smile.

"They're striped. I happen to like stripes. Only then is the colour irrelevant" he hoped he was putting up a good fight so he awkwardly stuck out his chin as a child would.

"Ok, ok. It seems I've been mislead. I'm sorry for making fun of your pajamas" she almost laughed aloud at how ridiculous that sounded.

"I should think so" he said trying to sound serious, but quickly changed to a mischievous grin. "So what are we doing to get us to sleep?"

Beckett stared at him blankly for a moment. "I didn't mean it like that" he deflected.

"Well… Umm, maybe a movie? It's the closest to reading a book" Beckett decided.

"Ok movie it is" Castle stood up and walked to her TV and opened the cupboard below it. He sat on the floor and started skimming over the movies.

He paused for a moment, then pulled out a DVD and without turning around, displayed the case above his shoulder so that Kate could see from behind him.

"Titanic? Seriously? I cry every time I watch it"

"But it's a classic" Castle turned around "It's both historical and romantic"

"I don't want to fall asleep crying, Castle. And it's too depressing for the moment"

"Ok" he said simply, then turned back to return the DVD and continued his search.

After a few moments more he grabbed another and turned to face her this time with an impish smile on his face.

He held up this one for her to see "E.T. Come on, another classic. Yes, I know it is a little sad but it's adventurous and suspenseful and it makes you smile. It's a Speilburg not to mention there's Drew Barrymore when she was a kid"

"I guess that's a good one" she agreed "You didn't need to go through a whole explanation. I have seen it you know"

Castle excitedly grabbed the disc and slid it into the player. He walked back to his 'spot' and arranged the blanket around the two of them to get comfortable.

"So what made you agree to it so quickly?" he asked.

"Nothing. It's a good movie, besides I haven't seen it for a while"

"It seems a bit more than that" he prodded.

"Really, it's nothing" she said without taking her eyes off the screen as it played on to the disc menu.

"Really, Kate? I've been your partner for three years and you don't think by now I can't tell when something bothers you? You can tell me" he sounded so sincere.

She turned to face him. He hardly ever called her Kate, unless he was reaching out to her, to grasp the faint strands of emotion she emitted and magnify them so even she couldn't deny them.

"It's a memory. A happy one" she almost whispered. "Whenever I was at home from school in the winter because of a cold, my mom would let me watch it. She would come home in the late evenings and watch it with me"

Castle listened to everything she said. His face set hard with sympathy and his eyes focused entirely on her.

"There was one time that she had caught a bacterial chest infection that had been going around, so she took as much time off work as she could get. We would eat chicken and mushroom soup on the floor with blankets over our legs and watch E.T." Beckett was smiling as she was talking which reassured Castle that she was ok.

"That sounds better than the first time I watched it" Castle told her.

She looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

"Well, I was 11 at the time and I'd never seen any sci-fi movies so I didn't understand about special effects. I was at a friend's house and he'd never seen it either so of course we both decided to watch it. His parents were out so we thought that this was a perfect opportunity. By the end of the movie we were so convinced that there were aliens in the forest just out of town, that we decided to ride 10 miles to it one night"

"Let me guess, you both camped there over night looking for any sign that there might be 'aliens'?" Beckett asked, emphasizing the word with her fingers.

"Not exactly" he started, "We saw a light hovering over the trees and we decided to follow it. It wasn't long before we realized that it was just a plane flying down to the airstrip. By then we were lost, but three hours later we were found by the police. My mother had found out where we were going and called the police when I wasn't home by 7"

Kate chuckled slightly "So what did you learn from that?"

"Sometimes your imagination can get you into trouble" he smiled day dreamily.

"You didn't try to change it did you?"

"Of course not. I wouldn't be me if I did. I wouldn't have written all those books. I wouldn't have met you…"

His met her eyes with his and she smiled back, her cheeks turning a slight pink. After what seemed a long moment she cleared her throat and finally spoke.

"So are we going to watch this movie?"

"Uh right, yeah. Where's the remote?" Castle looked away awkwardly and started quickly looking for the remote. He pulled it out from under a cushion on the couch and hit play.

As the opening credits started Beckett quickly glanced at him from the corner of her eye. Sometimes she forgot that under all his childishness, he was a sweet and deeply caring person. He had proven this on many occasions and a part of her cared deeply for him, though she'd never let herself admit it. What good would anything come of it? They were already partners, friends. Being something more would just be too much… things would change too much for her to handle and besides, they were perfectly happy the way things were.

Kate pushed aside her thoughts and turned her attention back to the movie.


	2. Awake

**Authors Note:** After watching the season 4 premiere, I've decided to set this story 4 months after the premiere. I feel that some things can happen that will help with the development of the characters. Sorry if I took a while to post this chapter, writer's block got the better of me. I shall try to get the 3rd chapter up sooner.

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><p>The next morning the chill of the previous night still remained, but not nearly as intense. The sunlight peeped through the frost-glazed windows casting patterns on the floor. Kate rolled onto her side and drearily opened her eyes. Blinking the sleep away, she realized she was in her bed with no memory of how she got there. She wondered if Castle was still here so she decided to get up and look around.<p>

The floor was cold when she pressed her feet to its surface, but with no slippers that fit, she just endued it and shivered.

Beckett made her way quietly from her room down the hall to the living room. There on the couch lay Richard Castle, the very same blanket from last night was covering him, his head rested on the cushions he had placed on the couch arm and his legs tucked tightly at his chest. Kate stood there a moment, unable to determine what to do. She took a step closer and the floorboard creaked faintly under her weight. At this instant Castle groaned gently and fisted the blanket, his mouth slightly agape.

She moved closer still, avoiding the creaky boards. With every slow, swift movement she smiled a little as she got closer. She was now standing at his head, watching his chest rise and fall with every breath. She felt hesitant to wake him. With a feather light touch she ran her fingers through his soft hair, adoration spread her lips and a sparkle in her eyes. She turned away and moved toward the kitchen and proceeded to make some coffee.

Castle opened his eyes cautiously and turned onto his back. He ran his fingers through his hair gradually, the tingle of her touch still lingered. He sat up and turned towards the kitchen to steal a look. He watched her, peeping from behind the couch; should he show himself or not.

Kate felt him watching her. She stopped pouring the milk into her cup and looked in his direction. Sure enough there he was; half his face covered by the back of the couch, hand griping the fabric beside his face and his eyes observing her like a child, a sweet, caring child. Those eyes gazed at her making her feel a little uneasy but perfectly comfortable at the same time.

She blushed vaguely and started to talk. "How did you sleep?"

"Fine, though I should consider seeing a chiropractor" he joked.

"I'm sorry about that. If I'd have known you'd be staying the night I would have found you somewhere more comfortable to sleep"

"It's ok; I didn't know I'd be. I guess sleep just got the better of me"

"Hey, speaking of sleep, any idea how I got into my bed when I have no memory of walking there?" Kate raised an eyebrow, teasingly.

"Oh well, you… fell asleep after the movie and I didn't want to let you sleep there… so I… carried you, to your bed and helped you under the blankets" he seemed uncomfortable and the redness had started to spread across his face.

She smiled sweetly at him, "Thank you. You're very sweet Castle. You're too kind to me and I'm sorry you had to sleep on the couch"

"Hey look its fine. You know I'd do anything for you" he really didn't intend on saying the last part, but she blushed anyway.

"Well now that we're awake I guess we should have breakfast. What do you think?" he asked.

"Sounds good" she sipped her coffee.

"I'm not going to find anything moving in your fridge this time, am I?" he joked.

"I'll have you know Mr. Castle that I've acquired a better selection. I cleaned out my fridge a few days ago and went to the grocery store" she defended.

"Mind if I take a look? I have to be sure you know" he kept on with his mocking.

"Knock yourself out"

"I didn't realize your fridge was so dangerous"

Beckett rolled her eyes and smiled "Do you want breakfast or not?"

"Yes"

"Well come and help me find something then"

"Right behind you"

Castle walked into Beckett's kitchen as she proceeded to open some cupboards above her. She grabbed a container of oats and turned back to him. Just about to ask him if he wanted some, she stopped herself when she noticed him juggling some apples.

She shot him a puzzled look "What are you doing?"

"Amusing myself" he said matter-of-factly. "You're not going to eat that horse food are you?"

Kate looked at the container and frowned then looked back at him "Why? What's wrong with oats? It's better than the take-out"

"Yeah, but it tastes like cardboard. You can have food that _tastes_ like food, you know" he was still focused on his juggling.

He didn't react quickly enough and an apple slipped from his hand. The others fell as well. Castle and Beckett both reached down at the same time to pick them up but bumped their foreheads together instead.

"I'm so sorry" he gasped "are you okay?"

"Yes, Castle" she said with her palm to her head "it's ok, it was just an accident"

Castle quickly picked the apples up and put them on the counter.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just give me a sec" She stood bent over the sink with her fingers lightly moving across the tender area.

"Let me have a look" Castle asked taking a step closer.

Beckett lowered her hand and turned to him. He moved to her and gently placed his hands on her face; with one he rested his fingertips on her jaw and the other he threaded his fingers into her hair, his palm resting above the beginnings of a bruise. Castle turned her head to examine it more closely. He applied slight pressure with his thumb and she cringed slightly.

"I think you should put some ice on that"

"I'll be fine, Castle" she grasped his wrists and guided them away from her face.

"Ok, but at least let me make it up to you. Go have a warm bath, take as long as you want, and I'll make us breakfast"

"Alright, but just watch the mess ok?"

"Ok" he grinned.

She left the room and flashed him a look that said, _I can't believe I'm leaving you alone in my kitchen_. An even wider grid spread on his face as he clasped his hands together and looked around like a kid in a candy store.

After Kate had finished her bath and changed, she returned to the kitchen. She saw all the food the Castle had made sitting in plates spread across the counter; blueberry pancakes, scrambled eggs, fried tomato pieces, a bowl of chopped fruit and a jug of apple juice. Everything smelt delicious.

"Wow Castle, you did all this?"

"Yep"

"15 minutes and you cooked all this?"

"Yeah, sure. You didn't realize that I such a brilliant cook?"

She rolled her eyes "So are we going to eat?"

"Yes, of course"

He passed all the plates down to the table and they began to eat. Just as Beckett was finishing off her pancake, her phone rang.

"Beckett" she answered. She frowned a little as she listened. "Ok I'll be there as soon as I can"

Castle waited for her to tell him what was going on.

"We got a body at Central Park"

"Oh?"

"Yeah, umm Lanie said she hopes you have a strong stomach"

"Why's that?"

"She didn't say. Just that she was "very disturbed and horrified by the state of the body". It must be a pretty gruesome murder"

"Well let's not waste any time. We better get there before Ryan and Esposito"


	3. Victim

Author's Note: Thanks to everybody for their patience. I've been busy with end of year exams and assignment and ugh, lets just not talk about that, ok? I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations after I left you hanging at the end of Chapter 2. I tried to describe the body in a way of being rather gruesome without over describing it or making it sound too gorey. Hope you all like it, so on with the story!

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><p>Castle and Beckett arrived at the park gates and the security guard directed them to the crime scene. They reached the scene to find Lanie kneeling over the body, which was covered by a plastic sheet, writing on her clipboard.<p>

"Hey Lanie, what do you have for us?" Beckett asked.

"The face is pretty cut up but we got an ID card here that says our vic is Alina Ramirez; 24, Photographer. Only family she has is her brother Miguel and sister Jana. She's been missing for two weeks, maybe longer but no one reported it so we don't know exactly"

"So how'd she die?" Castle inquired.

"Ah, I was just getting to that" Lanie replied. She put down her clipboard, slid on her gloves and reached for the sheet. "You might want to brace yourself for this one"

She pulled the sheet off to reveal the body. Castle and Beckett's reactions were instantaneous; a revolted expression covered her face and she turned her head instantaneously. Castle turned pale and announced that he was feeling sick.

"Where's Ryan and Esposito? I need to empty my stomach contents on someone"

"Hey there twinkle-toes. Enjoying the view?" Ryan asked. Castle let out a shrill scream. He turned around, Esposito and Ryan gave each other a fist bump.

"What happened, Lanie?" Beckett asked still frowning with disgust. She has to admit she has seen some pretty bad things, but this one just reminded her of one of the crime scenes she investigated a number of years ago. They never caught the guy; he had a thing for brunettes and that made Beckett a little uneasy.

The woman lay on her back, her caramel brown hair spread in a wavy mess around her head and shoulders. Deep cuts were slashed across her face in an attempt to veil identity. Her emerald green eyes were glassed over and blood splattered her arms and blouse. The bloodied mass that had once been her legs was gone; her lower body had been amputated right above the hips. The macabre scene disturbed even a few of the investigators as they were turning their heads when they walked past.

Lanie tilted the girl's head to the side "She was asphyxiated, but judging by these contusions it wasn't rope. Whatever it was, it was strong enough to break her neck"

"What about the… uh…" Beckett gestured to the bloodied mess at the bottom of her shirt.

"That happened post mortem, not long after. It was done using something like an industrial saw, similar the ones used in a wood mill. She was frozen so it's a little difficult to determine exactly when she died. I estimate around 3 days ago"

"So she was probably cut in half to fit inside a freezer" Castle theorized.

"But why would the killer put her in a freezer?" Beckett pondered.

"Probably to move the body. He wanted to make it look like she was killed somewhere else. When the body's frozen, obviously the blood is frozen too so then he won't be leaving a bloody trail when he moves her. Not to mention it slows decomp so it's hard to determine exactly when she died"

"Castle's right" Lanie said "She wasn't killed here. Her body was found over there by the lake, under some bushes but it wasn't where it happened. I found some debris in her hair that looks like it came from some kind of tree"

"Ok, see if we can identify it. Maybe that will give us a clue to lead us to the rest of her. Ryan, we need contact her brother and sister. Find out if they know anything about her disappearance. Esposito, talk to CSU. They might have found something for us"

"And what about me?" Castle piped up.

"You're coming with me back to the precinct. There's some files I want you to help me look through. This reminds me of another case that I worked. I want to see if they're connected"

"So you've come across him before?" Castle and Beckett had arrived at the precinct and spent the last 2 hours looking through cold case files.

"About 5 years ago, a year before we met, there were a string of murders similar to this. At first they all seemed random but then the M.O. changed by the forth body; the victims were all female, brunette and the ages varied between 20 to 35 years of age"

"So you assumed a serial killer?"

"Well no, not at first. We found multiple DNA but unfortunately these people were deceased and had been for a few years. There were nine victims in total. We've had no leads or any form if ID of this man so he's just been known as 'Ringer' because of the ring shaped mark he leaves on the back of their necks. He uses something to brand it onto them, to leave his mark"

Beckett opened another file and began reading through it; one of the many that lay sprawled across her desk. She picked up her coffee cup and took a long sip, her eyes never leaving the page. Castle was intrigued as he watched; her lips poised on the rim of the mug drinking the hot liquid. Just staring at her so absent-mindedly he thought to himself how desperately he wanted to kiss her in this moment.

Kate must have realized that he was staring because her voice brought him out of his daydream. "Huh? I'm sorry what did you say?"

"I asked what's wrong. Have you found something?"

"Uh… yeah, kind of. In some of these photographs the victims have marks on their fingers wear rings used to be. I remember seeing one on Alina's right hand. Do you think that he could be using their own rings to brand them?"

"Well it's possible but I don't think so. All the marks are identical; he used the same instrument every time"

"It could have been something like a metal pipe. He could have heated the end and burned it into their skin right after he broke their neck with it" Castle theorized.

"That actually fits with the details. I'll put it down as a possible murder weapon. Good thinking Castle"

He couldn't help it again. He watched her moving the pen swiftly over the paper, her hair falling over her cheek, the very cheek touched on that night. He still remembers the softness of her skin and the gasp when he grabbed her so suddenly.

"Castle?"

Damn it, she'd caught him again. "Yes?"

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah fine, why?"

"You just seem a bit out of it. Is something bothering you?"

"Well uh…"

"Yes?" she urged him.

"It's the evidence, or rather the lack of it."

"What do you mean?"

"You said before that the DNA left behind was from people who were already deceased. Obviously he's doing this to cover his tracks. But what we don't know it how is he getting it? He can't be exhuming bodies because I'm sure people would notice if bodies started turning up with a hole at their headstones."

"There's many places, hospitals, morgues, funeral homes… It's going to take ages to narrow it down. We're going to need some more evidence."

Just then Esposito and Ryan walked into the precinct.

"Did CSU find anything?" Beckett asked Esposito.

"They searched the whole area and all they found was this ring." He produced a small evidence bag with a gold ring. The band curved either side of a red garnet set at the seam of the joining ends.

As Beckett inspected it through the plastic Esposito continued to talk. "Thing is though it doesn't belong to Alina or our vic."

"Wait, what?" she suddenly looked up.

"Alina's brother and sister are here to identify her body. It's not her, we have another body and the ring doesn't fit." Ryan said. "It's big enough to fit on a middle finger but neither our vic nor Alina wore rings on theirs"

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><p>Oooh what an end! Ok well it may not be much of a cliff hanger but I bet you're all waiting to find out who the victim is, where is Alina and who owns the ring? Dun dun daaaaa! Well stick around folks, cause my writers block just smashed and I'm feeling inspired. Drum roll please! *Da dada da DUN!* Please feel free to Review as I'm pretty excited for questions or comments. I'll try to have the next chapter up sooner.<p> 


	4. Seing Double

Author's Note: Sorry I took so long to update this, I've been suffering from writer's block but then I had an epifany and wrote down a whole heap of notes. Putting things together is a lot harder that it seems when you're writting a story. This chapter is not very drama-y with any kind of cliff hanger but it has more information and is starting to build up the tension of discovering the killer. More character's are introduced hear and is it possible that any of them are somewhow involved? I'll leave you to the reading then. Enjoy and leave me a reveiw if you have any thoughts or opinions.

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle or any of these amazing character's.

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><p>When they arrived at the lab, Lanie was waiting with Alina's brother and sister standing near the doorway. They were both tall, statuesque, with dark wavy hair and dark eyes. Jana held a tissue to her red, tearing eyes, looking lost and helpless as Miguel held her close with an arm hugging around her shoulders. Even he, with his broad shoulders and typical laborer look, had glassy eyes as the tears threatened to spill over the rim. Jana pulled out of his embrace and between shaky breaths spoke to him in Portuguese. He looked at her reassuringly and replied in a comforting tone.<p>

Miguel turned to Beckett "My sister is having doubts that you'll find Alina even alive" he had an accent; it wasn't too strong and rolled off the tongue when he talked.

"We're doing the best we can. We haven't found her body so until that happens have faith that she's out there somewhere and hopefully ok. We'll find your sister"

"I trust that you know what you're doing, but she's our little sister. We can't help but feel that it's our fault because we are supposed to look out for each other" Jana told her. Her voice was soft and clear, the accent lingered in her voice.

"Don't think it's your fault, you can't blame yourself for this. I know it's hard for you but you can help us. We just need to ask you some questions"

"What kind of questions?" Jana asked as she wiped away another tear.

Miguel stepped forward suddenly, "Anything, if it can help you find her we'll tell you anything"

Beckett nodded "When was the last time you saw Alina?"

Miguel shifted his eyes to the ceiling, a furrow in his brow "Umm it was about 12 days ago. She was working for a magazine company at the time; Emrica Sunshine, I think it was called. She had gone travelling with another girl to take some photographs of a young Afghani girl who was rescued by soldiers.

Beckett was making notes in her note book. She looked up "Do you remember where exactly she was going?"

"No, she didn't say. You'll have to speak to her boss"

"Do you know who the other girl was? The one she was travelling with?"

"Yes, she was a journalist and worked for the magazine. I do not remember her name though"

Jana spoke up "Her name is Marika Mitchell. Like us her parents were immigrants. She moved from Serbia when she 6. They were the best of friends and Alina would talk about her all the time. She even told me about the tattoo she got; a small rose on the inside of her wrist. Alina said she got it after her grandmother passed away"

Beckett lifted her head suddenly "A tattoo on her wrist?"

Jana nodded "_sim, é isso_"

Beckett called over her shoulder "Lainie –"

"I'm already on it" Lainie said standing at the autopsy table. She lifted the right wrist with her gloved hand, and inspected the skin "Nothing on this one". She raised the left. "It's here" she confirmed, tilting the wrist to show them.

"So this is Marika" Miguel looked from Beckett to the corpse.

"Yes, but now we'll have to find your sister. She could still be alive and out there somewhere"

"But Marika was the only one who knew where Alina is, and now she's dead! What are the chances that she may already be gone?" he said in a somber tone of frustration.

Castle, who had been quiet for a while now, spoke up "I know you're upset and worried for your sister, but you have to trust Detective Beckett. I've know her for 4 years now and I know that she is the best at what she does. If she says that she can find her, she means it. Now's not the time to give up, you have to be strong for Alina"

They all looked at him for a moment before Miguel spoke again "If he says you can do it, I have no reason to doubt you, Detective. I'm sorry for my outburst, it's very unlike me"

"It's perfectly understandable, it happens all the time" Beckett said to him. "You can go now, I'm sure you must be tired"

"Thank you, Detective" Jana said as she left with her brother.

"Come on, Castle. We have work to do" she turned and left the room.

"So, two young girls who both have immigrant parents, work for the same company, one ends up cut in half and the other missing. What are the chances that this has something to do with some kind of foreign intelligence agent who worked for their parents but was kicked out and as revenge went on a killing spree on the other agents and eventually killed their daughters as punishment?"

Beckett sat across the desk, looking rather confused "Uh, that seems too out there. Your theories don't really make much sense"

"Well sometimes you need to image, fill in the gaps with some wild story to entertain yourself for a while. And why wouldn't that fit anywhere?"

"Well for starters I don't think there's even such a thing as a "foreign intelligence agency", second, the other victims had no connections that would imply knowing one another only that they looked similar in appearance –"

"Clones"

"I don't think so" she rolled eyes and continued "and besides, Alina's parents are Portuguese and Marika's parents are Serbian. I don't think they would have any connections to each other. They don't even speak the same language"

"Ever heard of a little thing called 'coincidence'?"

"I don't believe in coincidences. I believe in truth. Almost everything happens for a reason even if that reason isn't logical"

Castle opened his mouth to say something, but Espostito and Ryan strode up to Beckett's desk before he got the chance.

"Yo, Beckett, we got you the files" Espostio nudged Ryan who passed a cream manila folder to her. She opened it and removed the pieces of paper.

Esposito continued while she skimmed though the folder's contents "Emrica Sunshine; named after its owners, Emily and Erica Barnett, Hispanic twins who were adopted when they were 2 months old"

"Ok, I've got the address here. Castle?"

"Yes?" he looked up from the files.

"Road trip. I hope you bought an extra jacket…"


	5. Questions

**Author's Note: Sorry to everyone who's stayed with this story after all the waiting. I appreciate the patience. This chapter is a little shorter then the other's but hopefully the next will be longer. Please reveiw :)**

**Disclaimer: My writing is not good enough for Castle so I only own the story and not the characters or the TV show.**

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><p>They sat in a small office waiting room, listening to fingers typing and voices murmuring. Every once in a while a phone would ring. The heating wasn't working too well so everyone still wore their coats which left Castle fidgeting in his chair complaining about sitting on a button.<p>

A young hispanic woman, with long dark hair and wide brown eyes, walked into the room and immediately spotted Castle, beaming with recognition "Rick Castle? I haven't seen you in ages"

He rose with a smile and gave her a long embrace as though they hadn't seen each other in years "It's been too long. I've been busily writing my new books, so you should be proud of me"

"Yes I am. I heard you're a best-seller now" she said still smiling.

Beckett stood behind him looking over his shoulder "Hey, who's this?"

He turned for a moment to push her a few inches forward "Detective Kate Beckett this is Emily Barnett, owner of 50% of Emrica Sunshine. Her brother and I were collage buddies and we always used to hang out"

Emily shook hands with Beckett "It's so nice to meet you. I feel like I already know you from the books"

"Yes, well sometimes Castle's imagination has a tendency to run away with him" she said grinning.

"Unfortunately I know this all too well. You know, characters are great but they're never as good as the real thing" Kate smiled at the compliment.

"But Rick," Emily tapped his hand. "takes some getting used to. He may look like an adult but his inner child has a firm grip on him"

Kate laughed "Yes, I am well aware". Castle looked affectionately at her.

"So you came here to discuss something?" Emily questioned. "My secretary said you wanted to see my sister and I. Erica is on her lunch break at the moment but if you want we can talk" she gestured between them with her hand.

Castle spoke to her in a soft and quite tone "It's about Alina Ramirez and Marika Mitchell"

"What happened? Are they ok?" Emily asked with urgency.

Kate looked at her with a grim expression on her face. No matter how many times she'd done it in her years of being a cop, it never got any easier. "Emily, is their somewhere private we can talk?"

Castle sat behind her, rubbing circles on her back with his hand and handing her tissue box as she sat slouched on the couch, crying, with a wad of them scrunched in her hands.

"Emily, listen, I know this is hard for you but I have to ask you the last time you saw them" Beckett sat across from her, leaning forward, using calming tones.

She raised her head, a tear slid halfway down her cheek. He eyes were red and her open mouth turned down at the corners. It was the look Kate would describe as a child who had fallen from their bike and scraped their knee.

She wiped away the tear and cleared her throat "Umm it was 2 weeks ago, Monday"

"So that was twelve days ago. That's when her family last saw her" Beckett said to Castle. She turned back to Emily "Do you know if they were going somewhere?"

"Yes. Ten years ago there was a news report from Afghanistan that the American soldiers had found a girl living in the rubble. They brought her back here to keep her out of the wars. Erica and I did some digging and tracked her down. We sent the girls out to interview her"

"I don't know specifically, but Erica spoke to a woman who lives out near Lake Saranac."

"That's got to be at least 300 miles away!" Castle remarked.

"What's at Lake Saranac?" Beckett asked.

"That's where the girl lives. I think the woman there is her foster mother"

"Do you know the name of this girl?"

"I don't, but Erica might"

"I have one last question for you" Beckett held up a photograph of the ring that was found near Marika's body "Do you recognize this ring at all?"

Emily shook her head "No, I can't say that I've ever seen it before"

"Ok. Thank you for all your help, Emily"

They rose and shook hands before Castle and Beckett strode towards the elevators.

"Well now what?" Castle turned towards her.

"We wait"

The elevator doors closed.


	6. Discovery

A/N: I'm sorry to all my viewers that I have taken so long to upload another chapter but I've been busy with school and have also lacked motivation. I also apologize for the chapter's being so short. I'll try and make the next one longer.

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><p>It was late afternoon when Kate had started filling out some paperwork in relation to the current case. Castle had gone out for the usual coffee that he often bought them when they required late night research. She paused for a moment, looking at the empty chair beside her desk. She thought of him. When didn't she? He was always in her head, distracting her whenever he wasn't around. His face, his smell, his touch. It was always there. Always… the words he spoke to her often, the words that made her tingle whenever they left his mouth.<p>

"She's over there" She heard a voice say. Kate looked up and saw Esposito directing a young woman to her desk. "Emily?" She breathed as the woman got closer.

"I'm Erica" She said when she was within a few feet of Kate's desk. She looked exactly like her twin apart from a dark freckle on her cheek below her left eye. As soon as she was closer to her, it was obvious she too had discovered what had happened to the girls as tears stained her olive cheeks.

"Emily told me about what happened so I came here as fast as I could"

"I need to talk to you about it, just ask some questions that could help to find Alina" Beckett indicated for her to sit in the chair beside her desk, Castle's chair.

"Of course whatever I can do to help" Erica assured as she sat.

Beckett passed her a photograph "This ring, do you recognize it at all?"

Erica inspected it for a moment "yes, I know it" she said a little surprised herself. "It belongs to that Afghani girl that they were interviewing"

Beckett raised her head and her eyes flicked from the photo to Erica "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I have a photograph here of her" out of her satchel she pulled a photo. It was slightly faded and had a worn look about it, but the girl in it was still recognizable. She would have been about 6 or 7 years old and was wearing a tattered dress, the colour of apple juice. She was sitting in the dirt leaning her back against the remains of a building, her legs hugged tightly to her chest and her wide brown eyes shown nothing but fear. Around her neck on a simple silver chain was the ring, dangling from her fingertips as she held it out at eye level. Her wide brown eyes were desperate and saddened.

"This is the girl Alina and Marika went to interview?" Beckett asked after inspecting the photograph.

"Yes. Her name is Kinah. This was taken about 10 years though" Erica pointed out.

"Is there a way of contacting her?"

"I will arrange for you to meet her. She's very weary when it comes to meeting with strangers. She sympathized with Emily and I when she discovered we were once orphans. Rick told you we were adopted?"

"He mentioned it" Beckett said remembering their previous conversation.

"_You never told me you knew them" Beckett remarked as they were driving back to the precinct._

"_I went to collage with their older brother"_

"_Was he adopted too?"_

"_No. there was a complication when he was born and his mother had to undergo surgery. She was left unable to conceive anymore children so she decided to adopt and give another child a home"_

"_That just happened to be twins"_

"_Yes, she wouldn't split them up and Caleb had said he wanted a sister. They got on really well. He was always there to protect them and stand up for them especially at school. Their dad would call them "the little sunshines" because they were always so cheerful. That's how they chose the name for their magazine"_

"_So they always wanted their own business?"_

"_The girls always did everything together. They found a National Geographic and once they had read it they decided that they wanted to be journalists" _

"_What about Caleb? Where's he now?"_

"_He's in L.A. trying to make it big. Was going to be a writer too but then he discovered he had a real passion for film making. He's made a few small budget films but nothing that's really got him noticed. He works in a coffee shop and writes every now and then, but he's getting by"_

"We never knew our parents and she understood how that felt. She wanted us to tell her story" Erica's voice drowned out the memory. She looked up and a tear slid down her face. "I'm sorry," she apologized, "I can just still remember how it all was before… It just doesn't seem possible that Marika and Alina are gone. I shouldn't have let them go"

She began to weep. Beckett stretched out her arm and placed her hand on the girl's bicep in a comforting gesture.

"Erica, listen. There is still a possibility that Alina is out there somewhere. We'll find her and catch the bastard who did this. Have hope. This is not your fault. Go home and get some rest. You've had a stressful day"

Erica stood up and wiped her face. "Thank you Detective. I'll arrange the meeting. Tell Rick we should catch up sometime, all go out for coffee sometime"

"Will do," the detective nodded, "and please, call me Kate"

"Kate," She smiled at her, "thank you" She turned and walked to the precinct's elevators.


	7. Getting There

**A/N:** I'm so sorry to everyone who has been reading this, it's been ages since I've posted anything. I'm trying to dedicate more time to it now that I've graduated high school. I'm not the best writer but I can try to make things sound interesting if you give me time. I realize that since I first started writing this my language has evolved a little, things are coming together more neatly. I'm a really big procrastinator but for those of you who enjoy this, I shall continue it. Thanks again to everyone who's waited, you're all amazing people!

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><p>Castle returned a few minutes later with two steaming cups from the cafe just two blocks away.<p>

"Anything new?" he asked, pressing the coffee into her cold hands.

She smiled a 'thank you'. "Well we know who owns the ring. Alina and Marika were sent out to interview a girl at Lake Saranac. According to Erica the ring belongs to her".

She sipped her coffee feeling the warmth slide down her throat and spread across her chest. She closed her eyes a moment to savour the sweet taste that lingered on her tongue. After she swallowed her mouthful of the honey-brown liquid she placed her cup on her desk and began placing the papers, now strewn across the desk, back into their folders. Castle was busying himself on his iPhone when she found it; a pale blue piece of paper, a repertoire, which must have fallen out of one of the case files she and Castle were going through earlier this morning. She must have dropped it, the negligence hidden by the adamant lack of evidence she possessed. But now the paper in her hands began to reveal its once forgotten words. Her eyes grew a little as they skimmed the page.

Her hand instinctively grasped Castle's arm. "Castle?" she turned to him, desperation in her voice.  
>"Hmm?" he said lifting his head to look at her. "What. What is it?" He saw the look in her eyes; a mixture of shock, vigour and realization. She only ever got this look when she suddenly discovered something that could blow a hole in the enigma that they had buried themselves into.<p>

"I need to call Lanie. I think I may be onto something" She spun around and grabbed her phone, hastily dialling the M.E.'s number.

"Hello?" she answered in a half chipper tone. She was obviously in the middle of something, concentrating, as she hasn't even checked the caller I.D.

"Lanie, it's me. I need to ask if you managed to find out anything about those twig samples that were found in Marika's hair?" Beckett rushed through that last sentence so quickly she wasn't sure if Lanie had heard her clearly.

"I do. I only got the report back on it a few minutes ago". She heard some paper rustling through the phone.

"Was it from a hardhack tree by any chance?" Beckett breathed in anticipation.

"Yes it was, how did you know?" the frown was audible in Lanie's voice.

"I just remembered something I saw in an old case file I read earlier. Thanks Lanie. That was just what I was looking for"

"Anytime girl. That's what I'm here for" and with that she pressed the phone back onto the receiver.

"We have something?" Castle asked. He'd been listening contently and soon felt the eagerness pushing him to the edge of his seat.

"We do. That twig sample that was found in Marika's hair? It's from the same type of tree that also left traces in a few of our Ringer victims. All the victims had traces of foliage in their hair and this list shows what types they were. Hardhack was the most common. Guess where all these trees are found."

"Lake Saranac" he answered, knowing he was right.

"Exactly" she hadn't realised but she had leaned in closer to Castle. They were speaking so intently that she almost jumped when the fax machine whirred to life. It was the address Erica had promised to send her.

"Looks like we're up for a camping trip, aye Beckett?" Castle smirked.

She looked up and returned the playful smile.

"So why are we driving again?" It's almost like he can't bare the silence between them.

"It's easier and more efficient." She was grumpy.

"Though not exactly faster" he muttered under his breath. They'd only just gotten out of Canal Street and then the ongoing traffic came to a halt. There must have been some kind of an accident near the Holland Tunnel. Time was ticking and the longer they were stuck there the more frustrated Beckett looked. It was going to take them 5 hours to reach their destination which would be well into the night by the time they arrived. Beckett had cleared it with Gates and they'd gone home to pack their things. They had no idea how many days they'd be gone or even what they'd find, but they did know that this girl was the key to solving the case. Castle turned up the radiator hoping to ease some of her discomfort. He didn't know if it worked but she certainly looked more relaxed. The furrow in her brow was evident again.

"_You get cute when you get angry… But not when you get angry at me"_ He remembered saying this during one of their cases. He'd quickly added the last bit because of the daggers she'd shot at him but he does remember her smile after. God, that smile. How can any one human be so… breathtaking?

The cars were barely inching any further and Beckett let out a clearly annoyed sigh. She was obviously irritated so Castle thought he should at least break the ice and distract her a little.

He smirked, "Don't you just hate traffic?" Beckett glared at him. Clearly she was not amused.

"Sorry, I was just trying to lighten the mood" he defended. Her face softened into an apologetic look. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back into the seat.

"Perhaps we could do something to pass the time?" Castle suggested.

Beckett seemed a little interested now. "Like what?" she asked tilting her head towards him, eyes opening to meet his.

"Talking? Telling stories… maybe play I Spy?"

"Okay, you're a writer; do you have any stories to tell me?"

"Well not off the top of my head, no"

"Oh really?" She said raising her eyebrows, disbelief imbedded in her smile.

"Alright," he said in a defeated tone, "I was just hoping you might have some stories, anything, to tell me. You know more of my stories than most. You've read my books; you've heard my words and know how my mind works. Now I want to know some about you. Can the subject become the story teller and can the story teller become the listener? I'm sure you have some amazing tales about your life that wouldn't hurt to be resurfaced."

She bit her lower lip. _Come on Kate, talk to him, open up. Let him get to know you._ It couldn't hurt could it?

"Okay, I have something I can tell you about myself"

She drew in a breath and Castle held his in anticipation.

"Before I was me, before I wanted to be a cop or a lawyer or have anything to do with this, I wanted more than anything to write. I was a dreamer and putting my pen to the paper just allowed me to be free, to create whatever I could imagine and write it into reality. Every bus ride to school I would press myself up against the window and lock myself into whatever world was printed onto the pages. I would become so engrossed in my book that it took me from the time that I stepped off of the bus until I reached the courtyard tables to unwind and draw my thoughts back into reality."

She glanced at him, smiling as she remembered "But then I saw what my mom did. She helped people and sought justice for them. I looked up to her and saw all the good she was doing. I didn't think that becoming a writer could help anyone, save them from all the bad things, but I guess I was wrong."

Her eyes found his again. She gave herself a moment to get lost in the pools of blue. His face softened as he hung on her every word.

"Your books saved _me_. Without them I would have kept falling. I saw your face in a bookstore one day, just smiling from a shelf in the window. Just to see your smile gave me hope. I lost myself in reading again. It was a solace that allowed me to let go of the pain" Her voice faltered at the last few words and her vision blurred as a tear fell.

"Oh Kate…" he was desperate to comfort her, to just reach out and take her in his arms.

"Castle, I'm fine" She turned her head away from him. She couldn't let him see her cry although it was too late for that now.

"Kate… Look at me" he whispered. She slowly turned back to him, her face shining with the drying saltiness that streaked down towards her chin. Utter love is all he could feel at this moment. Just for her. He reached out his hand and placed his palm on her cheek, feeling a slight shaky sigh escape through her lips. He used his thumb to wipe away a new tear that slid passed his hand.

"You would have made a beautiful writer but you make an even better cop. Sometimes we write to please others, sometimes to let the unspoken words fly free but being able to help someone through one of the worst times in their lives makes me feel euphoric. You make me feel like I've done something completely worthwhile in my life, like I've fulfilled a dream. Everyone has their flaws but yours just make me realise how extraordinary you are."

This whole time his hand was cupping her face and her eyes remained locked on his.

"Thank you, Castle for being here for me all these years, even before we met" she whispered.

"Always" he whispered back.

They began to lean slowly towards one another when a car horn made them jump. Startled they looked around; the traffic had started moving again. They awkwardly separated themselves and Beckett drove forward with the now moving traffic.


	8. Dreams

**A/N: **I finally got this chapter finished! Thankfully it didn't take as long as the others. Fluff and angst, enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I keep forgetting about this but I definitely do not own Castle. While it would be great, I do not possess a writing ability as great as Andrew to keep the show going as strong as it is.

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><p>It was late when they checked in. Castle glanced at his watch; 10:46pm. Beckett was having some kind of disagreement with the receptionist and he was too tired to find out about what. The girl behind the counter was shaking her head and Beckett kept sighing and pressing her hand to her forehead.<p>

His eyes grew heavy closed briefly as he heard her nearing footsteps.

"Come on Castle, get your things" her voice roused him, blinking away the drowsiness.

"What's wrong? Was there a problem?" he asked rising from the chair with his bag.

"There's been a complication and we've had to change rooms." She explained as they walked out of the lobby and past the reception desk. "Someone fell asleep in the tub and the taps were still running. Flooded the place and now the carpet needs replacing."  
>"Well this room can't be so bad" he glanced at her as they walked up the hallway, wheeling their bags behind them.<p>

"Maybe not but may have to change our sleeping arrangements; there's only one bed" she studied his face for a moment, thinking he would stop them right there and express his discomfort at the thought of sharing a bed. He didn't seem too bothered by it other than a slight flick of his eyes to hers.

His brow furrowed momentarily "They didn't have any other rooms available?"

"There are other rooms but they're all the same; double bed only. Doesn't seem like many couples come here."

_And what are we_, he felt like saying.

They stopped in front of a beige coloured door, one that looked like all the rest marked with the black numbers that read 201. Beckett pulled the key from her jacket pocket and unlocked the door. They stepped into the room and almost immediately they were hit with an intense chill.  
>The door fell shut once Castle had removed his hand from its handle. "Why is it so c-cold in here?" He drew himself into his coat, shuddering.<p>

"Someone left the window open" she stated, abandoning her bag by the door and striding over to the source of the icy wind gusts. Placing both her hands on the cold glass of the window pane, Beckett closed it forcefully with a small grunt. "The heating might take a while to heat up the entirety of our room." _Our room. _It sounded so strange to say aloud.

In those few brief moments of silence, they let themselves wander visually around their home for the next few days, imprinting the layout into their minds. All the walls were painted in neutral colours of either eggshell or antique white and a few scenic paintings hung on them. The kitchen was to the right of the door lining the adjacent walls with a few feet of grey speckled counter, cupboards painted a soft buttermilk shade. The sink set in the first section of counter and a stove top sat near the small fridge ended the kitchen where the living room began. Nothing too fancy here; glass top table with a clay bowl filled with and assortment of potpourri and pebbles that gathered around a single vanilla scented candle. Beckett stood at the window across from the table; she got a whiff of the perfumed wax as she'd walked past, intent on closing the window. A flat-screen TV and a leather couch separated by a small wooden coffee table, nestled into the corner behind the door seemed cosy, inviting even but the thought of lying in a soft cushioned bed, thick blankets encircling them, sounded much more inviting. The bed and bathroom were hidden behind another beige door that stood facing the dining area.

"I don't know about you," Castle began as she turned back to him, "but I could do with some warming up."  
>Nodding in confirmation, a slight smile pulling at the corners of her mouth, Beckett lifted her arm and gestured to the cupboards beside him, "Maybe there's some coffee in there."<p>

Following her gaze, he took a few steps into the kitchen and pulled open the first cupboard within his grasp. Peering inside, he lifted out a clear jar. "Tea," he smirked, "they have herbal tea but not coffee? What kind of hotel is this?"

She smiled at his disappointment. The man sure loved his coffee, but so did she. There was something soothing about the nut-brown liquid, satisfying even about the way it could make her feel better even on a bad day, or was that just because it was always given to her by Castle who had that affect on her from almost the first day they met.

"Fear not for I have bought sachets of hot chocolate" he beamed lifting a small packet from his bag. Was she really that distracted that she didn't notice when he had rummaged through his bag?

"You bought hot chocolate?" she quirked an eyebrow as she walking over to join him in the kitchen.

"Yeah, do you want some?" he extended his arm offering it to her.

"No thanks," she opened a few cupboards in search of a mug. "I think I'll just stick with the herbal tea."

Castle had found the kettle and was filling it with water when he remarked, "Isn't my chocolate good enough for you?"

"The tea's better for relaxing. I think I need it." She placed a teabag in her cup but continued to play with the string, pulling it between her slender fingers.

Rick turned to her, eyes wandering over her face. There was more to it. Something was bothering her. Kate's eyes fluttered a moment before meeting his gaze. Was she blinking away tears?

"My therapist recommended it. Said it would help with the night terrors."

She hadn't told him that before. The therapy seemed to be helping but the dreams persisted, she told him once they'd make their hot drinks. He didn't want to imagine what it must be like for her every day; going to work, getting through the stress of each day then returning to the one place she's supposed to feel safe, but instead waking with a feeling of pure terror. How does she do it?

"You're strong, you're capable of so much but everyone needs help once in a while. Some are just afraid to admit it because they don't think that anyone is willing to listen." His reassurance earned him a soft smile. Both hands wrapped around her cup, absorbing what little warmth was emitted. Her gaze wandered into her cup, staring contently at the bubbles that clung to the sides.  
>She hated to admit it to herself but she did need the help and thankfully therapy was working, for the most part. Every night she would close her eyes, slowly inhaling and exhaling trying to calm her racing heart knowing that as soon as she drifted off she would be right back in that nightmare. She didn't want to go back to that place.<p>

Kate saw it again; laying on the ground, blood coving her. Her blood. On her hands, the crimson stain darkening and growing on her shirt, drops smeared on his hands. She could still feel the motion of the bullet ripping through the skin of her chest. She still remembered Castle's body slamming into hers, an attempt of becoming a human shield. He'd tried to save her but it was too late. Everything hurt, burned even, the heat intensifying with every breath. The flames coiled around her heart. She could feel it now, thumping slower. She searched for his face. It was there, close to hers, willing her to live.

"_Kate,_" his hand was under her neck, curling at the nape, lifting her head. _"Kate, please. Stay with me, Kate."_ Her lungs burned. It was getting harder to breathe. _Look at him, he's the reason to live. Don't let go. He needs you and you need him._

The heat was retreating and the icy cold started seeping though her finger tips, up her arms. _"Don't leave me please."_ Castle brushed his hand down her arm. _No, I won't leave you. Not like this._ All she could here was the gasping of her breath, no words. Her vision was blurring in and out of focus. Kate wouldn't look away, her eyes still locked on his; he was the only thing keeping her from letting go. The bullet had nestled itself into her heart; the beating had almost subsided. _Breathe!_ She willed herself but all that she could manage was a choking sound as a tear ran from her eye. The pain was still there but she was too numb with fear to feel anything.

"_Stay with me, ok?" _Rick pleaded with her, his eyes welling with tears. So this was it, the last face she would ever see. Like this, bent over her, watching her die. This can't be happening. They were supposed to be there for each other. She can't die; this isn't how their story is supposed to end.

"_Kate."_ His voice a barely audible whisper. And then she heard it. _"I love you."_

Her mind was obviously playing tricks on her, the endorphins mixing inside her head causing her to hallucinate. It would all be over soon.

"_I love you, Kate"_ She did hear it, it was real. The corners of her mouth twitched. She had no energy left to smile. Kate hoped he saw it. The last of her energy drained from her as everything went black. On the last exhale she felt something wet hit her cheek; his tear, then the blackness swallowed her.

She would wake up each night, the memory still lingering. It was always so vivid, the gunshot followed by the burning in her chest. Even now as they were standing in the kitchen Kate moved her hand to finger the scar through the material of her shirt. Castle watched her, unsure of what to say but wanting to comfort her. She looked up as he opened his mouth, regaining her senses she dropped her hand quickly.

"Kate…" he began, his hand lifted slightly, reaching out to her.

Trying not to sound flustered she spoke to him, "It's late and I'm a little tired so I think I'll go to bed." Rinsing out her cup she grabbed her bag and started for the bedroom. She had reached the door, hand on the doorknob when something made her stop and turn back to Castle. He had walked over to the window and was watching contently as the snow fell.

What she said next was like jumping off of a cliff not knowing where she was about to land. "You coming?" She asked him softly so as not to startle him.

"Are you sure?" he seemed quite surprised. "I don't mind sleeping on the couch."

"Castle, we're both adults here. Just because we're partners doesn't mean we can't share a bed. You shouldn't have to sleep on the couch when there is plenty of room. It's ok, I promise."

"Alright," he agreed hesitantly, "but no guns."  
>"I promise" she laughed walking in the bedroom.<p>

He grabbed his things by the front door and returned to the bedroom where he found Beckett unpacking her things into the cupboard. He left his things by the foot of the bed and walked into the bathroom with a change of clothes and a razor.

Once he was changed, Castle was about to offer Beckett use of the bathroom when he noticed she was already asleep. Curled on the right side of the mattress, pyjamas already on, she lay facing the centre so he could see her face relaxed in sleep, her hair in waves around her shoulders. He smiled as he drew back the covers and slipped in beside her. Sharing a bed with Kate Beckett was strange yet comforting.

"Goodnight, Castle." She said softly.

His head turned to face her "I thought you were asleep."  
>"Almost," she opened her eyes and smiled at him, "just warming myself up."<p>

He returned the smile and they lay like that for a moment, soaking in the closeness of each other's presence without the uncomfortable repercussions that usually followed. It lasted a few seconds longer than intended.

Kate sighed and closed her eyes, "Night."

He gazed at her a moment longer. "Night," he turned his head back and closed his eyes as sleep consumed them.

"_Kate!"_ He screamed as she gasped after the bullet struck her chest with a sickening thump. She could hear sirens approaching as people scattered, screaming in fear. The gurney was cold as she lay there, hands working over her, blood covering their hands as they cut into her. She saw faces everywhere, crying. Lanie clutched Esposito's arm, face buried in his neck sobbing as he stood there with a melancholic expression set on his face. Ryan stood behind him, eyes red, hurt in his voice as he tried to comfort her dad who wept that he had nobody left. Martha and Alexis held each other not holding back, letting the tears come willingly. And then there Castle stood, bent over her, stroking her hair.

"Kate, I love you." His face was solemn as though he had lost her.

"I know I heard you" she croaked desperately. "I'm here, I'm alive and I'm sorry".

Everything blew away like smoke until it was just the two of them in darkness; she still lay on the gurney as Castle continued to stroke her hair.

"You have to go now" he whispered, leaning low to her.

"Go where? What's happening?" she was panicking now.

"You died Kate. In the ambulance. You didn't make it. You left me and everyone else behind."

"No, I'm still here!" she reached up to press her hand to his face but it fell through his check. He smiled weakly before he blow away too.

She sat up, "Castle, I didn't want to leave! I tried to stay!"

Images flashed all around her. Their argument when Castle tried to convince her to walk away, that her life was worth more than this and she just told him to get out. In the hanger when Castle dragged her away while she cried and begged as the men came to kill Montgomery for protecting her. The funeral. The sniper. The bullet. All the pain hit her again, nearly knocking her over. The screams were so real and so loud.  
><em>"Stay with me please. Don't leave me. I love you, Kate."<em>

"Kate, wake up. Everything's ok. I'm here." His voice was close to her. She opened her eyes; he was right beside her in bed. He seemed worried. Her hand hurt. She was tightly fisting the pillow. She swallowed glancing back to him. Her throat was sore; she must have been screaming. She was shaking. He was on his side, hand in her hair. He had been stroking it.  
>"You were having a nightmare. Are you ok?" concern spread his face.<br>"I thought I'd lost you," her voice breaking on the last word. "The bullet. I can still feel it. I see everything when I closed my eyes. I died and I left you." A tear fell and ran over her cheek.

"It's ok, it wasn't real. You're here and I'm here." He continued stroking her hair.

She moved into him, curling at his side. "I know," she sobbed.

His arm moved down and fell across her waist, hand at the small of her back pulling her closer to him. She wept into his chest until she fell asleep. There were no more night terrors that night. It was the first time in ages that she'd managed to have an unbroken sleep.


End file.
